


Of Shattered Hearts and Broken Trust

by Snugglebuttkitten



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Best Friend Chlonette, Divorced Marinette/Theo, Eventual Fluff, Gen, Heavy Angst, Mominette, Mutual Pining, Not Canon Compliant, Officer!Adrien, Platonic Chlonette - Freeform, Reverse Love (Sort of), Safe Haven AU (Sort Of), Sassy Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Single Mother!Marinette, barista!marinette, human!plagg, human!tikki, sin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-08-04 10:13:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16344854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: Marinette Barbeau is a parttime college student and fulltime single mother working as a barista at Lucky Ladybug Cafe. Adrien Agreste is a young police officer, new to the Paris Precinct and ready to prove his worth after nearly dying on the job two years previously. When these two meet, sparks undeniably fly. But one is haunted by a broken marriage, and the other is hiding from a checkered past. Can these two learn to love and trust again?





	1. Two Years Ago

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Hot Shot](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16337516) by [Saccha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saccha/pseuds/Saccha). 



> I am revamping this story slightly. Some of the major changes: I am aging them up even further than originally planned, so they will be in their late 20s, rather than their early 20s. Marinette is a divorcee, as opposed to being a widow as I had originally planned, and is the single mother to an eight-year-old. Also changed her ex from Luka to Theo, cause I have plans.

_The rain pounded the cement, diminishing visibility as the young man clad in blue crept through the shipyard. It was sometime past midnight, the moon invisible through heavy clouds and pouring rain, but the man was undeterred. He had worked in worse conditions before and now was no different. Beside him, his canine unit snuffled along with his nose to the ground, occasionally snorting when water got in his nose. So far, the dog hadn’t picked up any incriminating scent trails. Whether that was due to the lack of said trails, or the abhorrent weather that so often plagued Washington, he couldn’t say for sure. Either way, he wasn’t ready to give up quite yet. His clothes might be sticking uncomfortably to his skin, and his wet hair might have been plastered to his forehead, dripping water constantly into Viridian eyes, but he was determined nonetheless._

_The pair continued at a snail’s pace, weaving through massive towers of cargo containers, a variety of machinery, and crates containing who knows what. This wasn’t the man’s first assignment, nor would it be his last. There was something about this particular job, however, that set the man on edge. This whole shipyard was dead silent, the only sounds coming from the pounding rain, his snuffling dog, and the distant crash of turbulent waves against the docks. There was no sign of a drug cartel, as the anonymous tip had suggested, and he was beginning to wonder if he had been sent on a wild goose chase. As he neared the end of the cargo area, the man’s dog suddenly stopped dead in its tracks and a low growl reverberated through his lithe tan body. The man stopped as well, emerald gaze scanning the area around him. Beyond the pair, the maze of cargo containers ended in a stretch of open space, beyond which he could just make out the shadowy shape of a warehouse._

_The rain made it difficult to see anything beyond three feet in front of his face, but the man trusted his canine partner implicitly. The dog had been with him since it was a pup, gifted to him when he had graduated from the Academy as a Rookie Canine Handler. They had trained together, eaten meals together, slept side by side; the dog had been there beside him on his first official assignment and had been there on every assignment since. Nine years later, and the dog had saved his butt more times than he could count. Reaching down, the man tapped lightly against the dog’s muzzle, a signal for silence as he melted into the shadows beside a large stack of containers. Not exactly the best hiding spot, but between the rain and darkness, it would do in a pinch._

_The man crouched down and took his dog’s head in his hands. Soft brown eyes, set in a tan face above a black muzzle, met his gaze and the dog’s ears perked up alertly as he awaited his orders. The man unclipped the dog’s leash but kept a firm grip on the dog as he felt its muscles tense in excitement. “Go search,” he finally commanded, releasing the dog and swinging an arm out to point in the general direction he wanted the dog to go. The dog was off like a shot, disappearing from sight within seconds. Now, all that was left to do was bide his time and wait. Staying crouched beside the container, the man drew his firearm and flicked the safety off, wanting to be prepared for whatever might happen next. As he waited, muscles tense and ready, the shipyard around him remained eerily silent. Time seemed to crawl by, and the longer he awaited his dog’s return, the more anxious the man became. Back in the Academy, the man had been trained to sit still for hours on end in typically uncomfortable poses and positions to prepare him for future stakeouts. Unfortunately, he had never excelled at the waiting game. He was a man of action._

_The blip of his radio shattered the silence, nearly sending the man jumping out of his skin. His heart beat erratically as he lowered his weapon and grabbed the radio with his free hand. The radio crackled to life, the voice on the other end distorted and hard to understand. The weather was likely jamming the signal. “Officer Agreste? Come in, Officer Agreste.”_

_“I’m here, Marshall. No signs of the cartel yet; K9 Unit Cooper is scouting the area,” the man replied quietly, his eyes scanning the darkness around him for any trace of his dog._

_“Very good, Officer. What’s your position?” The voice responded._

_“About sixty feet from the warehouse, Sir,” the man responded immediately._

_“Good; I want you to scout out the Warehouse from top to bottom. If the cartel is there, that’s where they’ll be hiding out,” Marshall responded._

_“Yes, Sir. I’ll scout it out as soon as Cooper returns,” Officer Agreste assured, green eyes flicking up to scan the area once again._

_“Forget the dog, Agreste. Do it now,” Marshall snapped on the other end of the device. The man frowned slightly, but this was his senior officer. They had worked numerous successful assignments together and he trusted him with his life. Besides, he had been trained to listen to and obey his commanding officers._

_“Yes, Sir,” he agreed, slowly rising from his position and stepping out into the open. There was no answer on the other line and the man returned the radio to his belt as he began to creep towards the shadowy outline of the warehouse. The rain hadn’t lessened; if anything it was heavier than before. But the man didn’t let that deter him as he made his way slowly across the yard, eyes alert for any signs of his dog or danger. He was halfway across the open stretch of land when he paused, a feeling of apprehension rising within him. Everything in him was screaming at him to go back, but he found himself torn. Did he listen to his instincts, which had never steered him wrong before? Or did he follow his commanding officer’s direct orders? His heart thudded loudly in his ears, drowning out even the constant pitter-patter of rain and his fingers felt slick and clammy against the cool metal of the gun._

_Officer Agreste didn’t get much of a chance to make up his mind before the sound of pounding pawsteps reached his ears, followed by a sharp bark from Cooper. A warning. Officer Agreste spun towards the dog automatically, his gun lifting towards the black void that surrounded him and, just as the dog leaped at him, a gunshot split the air._

* * *

Nervous energy filled Marinette Barbeau as she laid awake in bed, silently staring up at the ceiling as, beside her, her husband slept on peacefully. In the hallway beyond their bedroom, the grandfather clock continued ticking quietly until suddenly, it began to toll loudly in the otherwise silent house. Despite the suddenness of the sound, the twenty-six-year-old woman barely flinched. Instead, she silently counted down the tolls. _1, 2, 3… 8, 9… 11, 12…_ At the twelfth toll, her head rolled towards her husband and in the darkness of their bedroom, she studied his face. The only source of light came from a thin sliver of moonlight that had managed to slip in through the heavy drapes over the bedroom’s single window, but it was enough to see the peaceful expression on his face, mouth open slightly as a bit of drool dribbled from the corner of his lips. As she watched him, a quiet snore filled the air between them.

Slowly, Marinette lifted the heavy comforter from her lithe body and sat up, her dark gaze never leaving her husband’s face. Even as the bed dipped and shifted beneath her movements, he didn’t stir, and for that she was grateful. Clearly, the drugs she had laced his food with had been effective and with hope, he would sleep for a few hours yet. This would aid in the escape she had planned. Marinette swung her legs off the bed, wincing only slightly when her bare feet touched down on the cool hardwood floors. Rising, she crossed the room quickly and silently to the walk-in closet. She didn’t bother with the light; she had mapped this path out a dozen times and could do it with her eyes closed. The ladder to the attic was lowered quickly, only a soft squeak from the hinges sounding as she pulled it fully to the ground. The steps creaked quietly as she mounted them, but the prone figure on the bed didn’t so much as move.

Reaching the attic, Marinette took hold of the first suitcase that she had packed, lowering it to the ground before she grabbed the second and third as well. She had only packed the essentials; things that would allow for her to make a fresh start in a new city far away from North Wales, where her husband worked as a Police Officer. The three suitcases were moved quickly and silently out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the main floor, before being shoved unceremoniously into the trunk of her small, expensive car. The car would have to be sold; she couldn’t allow her husband to trace anything back to her, but for now, it would allow for a speedy getaway. Finished packing the car, Marinette returned to the house for one final thing, a key detail in her plan of escape. Returning silently to the second floor, she bypassed the bedroom she shared with her husband and silently opened the door of the second bedroom, picking her way carefully across the toy-littered ground to the canopied twin bed that sat against one wall.

“Bella. Bella, wake up,” she murmured, smoothing a hand gently through her daughter’s thick brown curls. Bluebell eyes flutter open and the six-year-old blinks groggily up at her mother in confusion.

“Mama?” She asks sleepily, sitting up and rubbing one small fist against her eyes in an effort to wake further up. “What’s going on?”

“We’re going to play a little game, baby,” Marinette whispered softly, smiling at the interested gleam this sparked in her daughter’s gaze.

“What kind of a game, Mama?”

“I need you to get you shoes on and fill your backpack with all your favorite things. Whatever can fit, okay? I need you to do it as fast as you can, okay?” She asked gently. The child looked confused, brow furrowing, but she nodded in agreement.

“Okay, Mama,” she agreed, hopping up and moving to grab the bag where it hung on the hook. Marinette had already packed some of her daughter’s clothing, but she hadn’t wanted to risk packing some of her toys and trinkets less her husband caught wind that things were missing. Thankfully, Bella moved quick. Her favorite stuffed animals and books, her unicorn music box, and a few of her favorite movies all disappeared into the bag before it was zipped up and handed over to her mother. Within moments, her shoes were on and they were sneaking quietly down the hall once more. Marinette paused at the top of the stairs to look back at the door to her own bedroom. She knew this would be the last time she stood in this house, and hopefully, it would be the last time she saw her husband as well.  It took her a moment and a tug at her sleeve from Bella to force her feet to move once more, and with a shaky breath, she guided her daughter down the stairs and out the front door of their house for the last time.

Helping her daughter get situated in her booster seat, Marinette climbed into the driver's seat and started up the car, pulling out her cell phone as she did so. She speed dialed the number of her best friend, lifting the phone to her ear as she pulled out of the driveway. If she had bothered to look back as she pulled away from the house and down the darkened street, she might have noticed the dark figure standing in the window of their second story bedroom, watching her leave. But she didn’t look back, and neither did Bella. Instead, she looked only forward, to the new life she hoped lay ahead of them, and to her best friend, who had promised to pick them up from the airport when they arrived home in three days time.

 


	2. Present Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The previous chapter has been edited and added to and this is the slightly edited ending of the previous chapter

Marinette Barbeau shot out of bed, heart thundering in her chest as the alarm clock blared loudly in her otherwise silent two bedroom apartment. Eyes bleary with sleep, the young woman slapped blindly at her bedside table until she managed to turn off the blasted thing, casting the apartment once more into blissful silence. Falling back against her pillows with a groan, Marinette rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tried to wake up her sleep-weighed body. It felt like only moments ago that she had face-planted in her bed, too exhausted from a day of classes and cramming for her upcoming exams to bother changing into her pajamas. In truth, she had gotten a solid three hours of sleep, which was admittedly more than she usually got. If she could roll over and go back to bed, she would. Unfortunately, duty called and she had to be at her shift at  _ Lucky Ladybug Cafe _ in less than an hour.

Marinette had first started working for Tikki Fu at  _ Lucky Ladybug _ when she was a scrawny teenager in high school. It had been almost too simple to get her job back when she had returned from North Wales two years prior, and now she was the overnight manager at the 24hr internet cafe, Typically she worked by herself from ten at night to six in the morning. It wasn’t a bad job, not by any stretch of the word. The cafe was typically pretty quiet late at night, save for the occasional weary traveller and a few college students here and there. Mostly, Marinette made sure the place was cleaned from top to bottom and then used the time to catch up on her studies. She was currently in school studying Fashion and Design, in hopes of landing a future job at  _ Gabriel,  _ the largest Fashion House in all of Europe. Working for  _ Gabriel _ had been her dream since she was eight, and the fact that she was so close to graduating despite a few setbacks life had thrown at her made all of this worth the effort.

Running a hand over her face one last time, Marinette finally dragged herself out of bed and into the shower. The hot water was almost as effective as a good cup of coffee, because by the time she stepped out of the tub and wrapped a big, fluffy towel around her body, she felt positively rejuvenated. With a skip in her step, the young woman made her way back to her room and into her large walk in closet. There wasn’t a formal uniform at  _ Lucky Ladybug _ , so Marinette simply pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans and a black off the sweater shoulder. It was early October and the weather was rather peckish this time of year. Over that, she pulled on her work apron, which she had designed for Tikki back when she was a senior in high school. The top was black, while the bottom was red with black spots. She had even made cute little red and black spotted headbands to go with the aprons.

Returning to her bathroom, the young woman applied a light coat of lipgloss and mascara, before brushing out and drying her shoulder-length, raven-colored hair. The red and black headband stood out brightly against her midnight locks. Satisfied with her appearance, she left the bathroom and made her way through the rest of the apartment. The apartment itself wasn’t anything special. It was small, oftentimes cramped, but she had made it hers in the two years she and her daughter had lived there. The gray sectional was overstuffed and comfortable, the television outdated but working. Her small balcony, usually overflowing with plants and flowers, now sported orange and black fairy lights. The plants had been brought inside and covered pretty much every available surface as they hid from the colder weather that plagued the outside world.

In one corner of the living room, Marinette had set up her desk where she spent much of her time studying or sewing while the television droned on in the background. A few dressmaker mannequins stood beside the desk, half finished outfits hanging from the metal frames. A fat orange tabby cat was lounging on the desk chair, one eye cracking open at her entrance before he rolled over and resumed his nap. Stepping into the dining and kitchen area, Marinette grabbed her backpack, which was almost overflowing with textbooks and unfinished assignments, her keys, and her laptop case. It was Wednesday night and usually Wednesdays were pretty dead at  _ Lucky Ladybug. _ It was the perfect time to catch up on her studies. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she returned to the hall and knocked quickly on the bedroom door beside her own. There was a shuffle of movement on the other side before the door swung open to reveal her daughter.

“Hey, mom, headed out?” Bella asked with a bright grin. In the two years since they had left Wales and her father, Bella had grown quite a bit. She took after her father a lot, with his long dark hair (albeit hers was much longer and curlier), his deeply tanned skin, and his height. At only eight, she was almost as tall as Marinette and the only thing they really shared in looks was their facial bone structure and their bright blue eyes.

“I am. Chloe should be here soon with dinner. Don’t open the door for anyone else, okay?” Marinette requested, smiling fondly at her daughter. Bella rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, yeah. I know the drill, mom. I’ll be fine,” she said with a cheery grin. The young mother hesitated for a moment longer before nodding in reluctant agreement.

“Okay. Call me if you need anything?”

“Sure thing, Mom. I’ll text you when Aunt Chloe gets here,” Bella said, leaning into kiss her mom quickly on the cheek. Without anymore preamble, the door closed between them and Marinette sighed. She hated how quickly her daughter was growing up. It just seemed like she was becoming more and more independent by the day. Shaking herself, the young woman turned away and headed towards the door, calling out a quick goodbye to their cat before slipping out the door and heading to work.

  
  


“You want me to work with another dog?” Adrien’s startled voice rang out too loud in the small office that was located deep within the bowels of the Paris Police Department. Across from him, Lieutenant Plagg Fu arched a brow, but otherwise his cool demeanor didn’t change in the slightest. If anything, the man looked bored out of his mind. It had been two months since Adrien Agreste had packed all of his worldly belongings and moved to France, the place his mother had been born. The place that  _ he _ had been born, though he had no memories of his time here. It had been far too long, nearly two decades, since he had set foot on European soil. 

In the two years since his last assignment, the one where he had been badly injured, Adrien was almost completely healed from the bullet that had gone through his shoulder. The doctors had said he was lucky. If Cooper hadn’t slammed into him, the bullet likely would have gone into his heart and killed him instantly. Adrien knew better than to believe in luck. It was the dedication between dog and handler that had pushed Cooper to put his life on the line for his handler. It was that line of reasoning that made the blonde man so adamant against the notion of working with another dog. He had a dog; he definitely didn’t need another one.

“Yes, Adrien. That is what I said,” the man across from him responded. Appearance wise, there wasn’t anything remarkable or special about Lieutenant Plagg. He was a tall, thin man with fair skin made to look pale against a mop of jet black hair. He had a narrow face, thin nose and lips, and acid green, almond shaped eyes that were almost cat-like in appearance. The man was dressed in all black, long fingers steepled beneath his chin as he eyed the junior officer across from him. The faint scent of cheese seemed to hang in the air around him.

“I have a dog,” the blonde pointed out, his tone even but firm. Across from them, Plagg smirked and dropped his gaze to the animal in question. A fine specimen indeed, with a lithe but well-muscled body covered in short tan hair, black muzzle and ears that were starting to turn gray with age. Cooper was a testament to the Belgian Malinois breed. Or he used to be. Sliding his gaze back to the man across from him, Plagg arched a brow as thinly veiled amusement danced in his bright green gaze.

“So you do. Unfortunately, that dog can no longer do police work for several… obvious reasons,” he pointed out. Perhaps sensing the shift of attention, Cooper lifted his head and scrambled awkwardly to his paws. Adrien barely suppressed a wince at the sight of the angry red scar that sat where the dog’s right foreleg had once been.

“Maybe not,” the blonde conceded, dropping a hand onto the dog’s head. The contact was as much a comfort for him as it was for the dog. “That being said, I doubt there’s another dog I’ll be able to trust the way I trust Coop.”

Plagg nodded as if in understanding, but the faint look of distaste in his eyes when he eyed the animal led Adrien to believe he didn’t understand at all. Lieutenant Plagg struck him as more of a cat person, than a dog person. “Look, Adrien… I took a chance on you. I’ve heard good things about the work you’ve done overseas and I think you’ll be a fine addition to our team…”

“But?” Adrien deadpanned, arching a brow. Lieutenant Plagg’s smirk morphed into a full grin.

“ _ But _ I didn’t hire you to sit around and do desk work, as you’ve been doing for the past few months. I hired you because you were the best K9 Officer back in Washington and I want that skill on my team. You’re a man of action; I respect that. Do you really think you’ll be satisfied sitting behind a desk for much longer?” It was a valid question, and the blonde didn’t really have to think very hard for an answer to come to him. He had never been the type to sit on the sidelines. He lived for the thrill of being part of the action. The whole reason he had become a cop was to serve and protect, and he couldn’t very well do that behind a desk. Across from him, Plagg nodded in satisfaction.

“I thought not,” he said, rising and moving to a filing cabinet behind his desk. Adrien watched as the man opened one of the drawers and rifled through a few files before finally pulling the one he was looking for. Returning to the desk, he placed it before the younger man. “A list of our available dogs, from rookie pups just out of training, to dogs who have been in the game for several years and need a new partner for one reason or another,” he explained. Adrien picked up the file and flipped through it, though his heart wasn’t quite in it. 

“Give it a few days, read through the file, and give me an answer on Monday. You’ve got the pick of the litter, kid. Now, get out of my office,” the man waved him off and with a sigh, Adrien got to his feet and tucked the folder under his arm. Cooper clambered up beside him, and the two made their way out of the office and through the labyrinth building. Outside, the sky seemed to reflect the blonde’s mood. Thick clouds covered the moon and stars, and Adrien cursed his choice to walk the ten blocks to work, as opposed to taking the car. Cooper had needed the exercise though, and if he were being honest, so had he.

Shooting an apprehensive look at the sky, he briefly debated taking a taxi home before dismissing the idea. If they were quick, they would hopefully make it home before the skies opened up. Glancing at the dog beside him, he smiled warmly. “Ready for a jog, Coop?” He asked, earning a bark and a tail wag from his four legged companion. With a grin, Adrien started off at a light jog, Cooper at his side, just as the first raindrop fell from the sky and hit the ground with a light splash.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know what you think! For those who are curious, Cooper is a Belgian Malinois ;)


End file.
